ISLAMABAD: India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in the final of the Twenty20 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, with Suryakumar Yadav’s side holding nerves to retain the tournament’s title.
India won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat, with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman providing an opening stand of 84 runs. But Pakistan failed to build the momentum and were restricted to 146 all-out in 19.1 overs.
Pakistan slipped from 113-1 and lost nine wickets for just 33 runs. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav dismissed 4 for 30 runs, while Tilak Varma scored an unbeaten 69 and Shivam Dube hit 33 to guide India to victory.
“India win the Asia Cup 2025 Final in an absolute thriller against Pakistan,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) wrote on X after the match.
India’s start was rather wobbly as they lost in-form opener Abhishek Sharma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav within the first 10 deliveries of their innings. They slumped to 20-3 after the exit of Shubman Gill, but Varma and Sanju Samson decided to rebuild the innings.
India’s Rinku Singh, left, congratulates batting partner Tilak Varma after the latter hit a six during the Asia Cup cricket final between India and Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP)
Abrar Ahmed dismissed Samson to break the 57-run stand but Dube combined with Varma to take India closer to the target. Needing 10 runs from the last over from Haris Rauf, Varma hit the second ball for a six to seal India’s win.
The regional tournament had been dominated by political gesturing between India and Pakistan players.
In their previous clash, Rauf made gestures that appeared to mock India’s military action during a four-day military conflict with Pakistan in May, while Farhan mimicked a gun celebration after his half-century. Indian paceman Jasprit Bumrah raised the heat in the first innings on Sunday when he bowled Rauf for six and made a gesture similar to his.
Indian players celebrates the wicket Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi of during the Asia Cup cricket final between India and Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP)
India’s cricketers refused to shake hands with Pakistan in two earlier games and there were no handshakes at Sunday’s toss or at the end of the match.
This was India’s second Asia Cup victory after 2016, and ninth overall since 1984, across formats.
India and Pakistan earlier met in the competition for the first time after deadly fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors, who have not played a bilateral series in more than a decade, over a militant attack in the disputed Kashmir region.
The two only meet in multi-nation tournaments at neutral venues as part of a compromise deal.
